THE IRONY OF BETRAYAL: CORPORATE PIRACY OF OUR FRESH WATER SUPPLY

WHAT CALIFORNIA VOTERS MUST KNOW!

THE IRONY OF BETRAYAL:

NAFTA INVITED CORPORATE PIRACY OF MICHIGAN and OTHER STATES FRESH WATER SUPPLY

 

Nestle Exploits Fresh Water in California, Michigan denying US citizens. But, under NAFTA exports to South America at HUGE Profits

 

 

The Urgency of Fresh Water and NAFTA in this Election

In those States yet to go to the polls, voters should keep in mind another byproduct of the NAFTA disaster heartily supported by Hillary Clinton. California must weigh her approval in light of a three year drought. 

When Bernie Sanders began his Presidential campaign he drew a clear and direct connection to a Hillary Clinton approval and support of NAFTA, TPP (Trans Pacific Partnership with China) and other mutually beneficial agreements. Bernie should have condemned her!

Early on, Republican Presidential and Democratic Party Debates focused upon the devastating effects of these trade agreements. They reminded ordinary Americans of the hundreds of thousands of jobs lost to cheap labor overseas, corporations paying zero taxes, an imbalance of trade with China and an increasing national debt.

As we approach the end of the primary season and before the Democratic Convention, those primary voters (Clinton deems as having little meaning) must not lose sight of her lack of responsible examination, the poor judgment, her vote of approval and the dire consequences on a global basis. 

One result of NAFTA is how America has been duped and sold out by Republicans and Democrats including the most prominent and presumptive supporter in one Hillary Clinton.

Hillary Clinton consistently makes the claim she is "one that can get things done." She "fights for you!" She always has "your best interest in mind." Really? One may reply "Malarkey" to borrow one term.

The presumptive nominee of Republicans has advantaged his campaign by the label he associates with his "most unfavorable opponent" as "Crooked Hillary." Donald Trump goes a bit too far with his personalized attacks.  

However, in these closing moments of his campaign Bernie Sanders must bring renewed attention to the disaster of NAFTA and Clinton cardinal rule to "fight for you!" This may be a point upon to win the remaining primaries.  Along with others in Washington, Hillary was right there among those who betrayed America.


Worse they opened the door for Nestle and other corporate interests pump water our most precious resource at zero cost and sell it for huge profits. (It would come as no surprise they paid zero in federal taxes pirating water).


One benefit of NAFTA allowed U.S. corporations such as Nestle to gain the right to pump ground water in Northern Michigan at virtually no cost, bottled and sold at huge profit. Nestle targeted a market here but also as part of NAFTA to a global market. 
 
THE TAINT OF LEAD, LED BY GOV. JOHN ENGLER TO GOV. RICK SNYDER

Prior to the Flint Water Crisis, many here in Michigan know firsthand how our Governors, lawmakers, and DEQ quite literally sold out from below their feet our most important resource. Fresh Water is to most a basic human right as it sustains life.

I am not certain who first can be quoted to say, "the next world war will be over water, not oil." The National Geographic (November 1993) published a special issue dedicated solely to the coming crisis of fresh water supply throughout the United States. I have followed the availability of fresh water ever since due to my residence and proximity to the Great Lakes. There is so much to write regarding the blatant misuse, waste and political corruption surrounded by fresh water.


In 2002, then Republican Governor John Engler made some lucrative offers to the Nestle Corporation to freely drain the Water Wonderland of our most precious commodity. Nestle paid a mere $70,000 to the State of Michigan. At one point 1,179 wells were in place with a capacity of pumping 100,000 gallons per day. Later, citizen groups sued but succeeded in only placing a limit on amounts to 596 million gallons in 2011. Nestle soon realized $300 Million profit. 

Worse, "the Engler administration ... literally paid Nestle approximately $10 million in local property and state education tax abatement, job training, and infrastructure grants to steal fresh water."

During his tenure Engler overlooked a voter defeat by 2-1 in Mecosta County against private interests pumping water.  As is the case in Michigan, the Republican, Engler proceeded with the deal.

It is no small wonder that current Governor Rick Snyder continues the legacy of John Engler. Before the first news hit the wires regarding the Flint Water Crisis went public, Dennis Muchmore, the Governor's Chief of Staff resigned and released an email as if to exonerate himself from any blame. The email contained an update to Rick Snyder as to the severity of Flint water. Muchmore got out before the wave hit.

Why? There is one answer. When former Gov. Engler was cozying up to Nestle he was dealing with their spokesperson Deborah Muchmore. She happens to be married to Dennis. Deborah has been with Nestle all these years and no doubt has working relationship with Governor Snyder. This Republican tie to Nestle threaded through the Jennifer Granholm administration upto the present. There was a longstanding relationship between then Governor Engler with the Muchmores that it earned Dennis his position as Chief of Staff when Snyder took office. Engler, Granholm and Snyder continued giving $11 million in tax breaks and taxpayer subsidies for Nestle to set up shop in Mecosta County.


Nestle was looking to cash in on the sweetheart NATA deal, one that was a sure bet high profit bonanza. With fresh water supplies in steep demand in countries like Bolivia, Nestle knew they could continue the corrupted process there, take control of all water and charge outrageously. One might think, well there is one U.S. company that profited from NAFTA. Wrong. Nestle is a Swiss based corporation.

Recently, Rick Snyder called for reconvening the Water Use Advisory Council and asked the panel to improve the Water Withdrawal Assessment Tool (?) Snyder and his Republican cronies refused to recognize a state-wide referendum on the Emergency Manager Law, by appointing an ER in Detroit and Flint where all of America knows that outcome.
 

INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY OPPOSITION IS FIERCE

   
Maude Barlow is one of world renowned advocates for clean, safe drinking water across the world. She leads a Canadian based movement to demand that "fresh water" belongs to all people. In Bolivia even "rain water runoff" is deemed to belong to the government even if came from your own roof.

Absurd, that in many countries due to the NAFTA trade agreement included an obscure inclusion of "fresh water" as a trade commodity. Maude Barlow read it and researched why "water" would be part of free trade with the United States and the corporate interests who were signing never-ending leases to pump, bottle, export and sell abroad.

In countries such as Bolivia "fresh water" as a public utility was turned over to corporate interests and with it the rates quadrupled. A predominant poor populace could no longer afford short supply fresh water they considered a human right. One man described how the rate (cost) of water allowed him "one flush per month."

As a basic to human life, fresh water is known as Blue Gold. In Bolivia, one poor farmer began a grass roots movement to reverse the agreements between the government and the U.S. corporations exploiting a clause in NAFTA. The movement spread to a size the government felt a threat. They invoked the military to "put down" the people's demand for a basic necessity to maintain human life. Eventually, the People won a bloody victory and the government was forcibly removed.

If one considers all that is at stake, NAFTA will not see a significant reform under Donald Trump for all his rhetoric nor Hillary Clinton based on her judgment and voting record.

 
THE TIME IS NOW! VOTE BERNIE SANDERS!


Please view Maude Barlow on You Tube

https://youtu.be/45hqBqo6NiQ

 
OREGON IS FIGHTING NESTLE NOW

http://www.truth-out.org/news/item/36129-our-water-our-future-voters-in-oregon-defeat-nestle-s-attempt-to-privatize-their-water

 Links:

 'Water, water everywhere in Michigan – but is it enough?' by Jeff Alexander from @bridgemichigan:

 http://bridgemi.com/2013/10/water-water-everywhere-in-michigan-but-is-it-enough/

http://blog.mlive.com/muskegon_chronicle_extra/2007/01/nestle_raises_stakes_in_bottle.html



http://healthywildandfree.com/nestle-corporation-takes-1-8-million-per-day-in-water/